MULTAN, Dec 1: Children from the families of powerloom owners and workers staged a demonstration on Sunday to protest against the high power tariff.

The children of various age groups carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against ever-increasing electricity rates gathered at Manzoorabad Chowk. Some of them had loaves of bread dangling around their necks to highlight what they said bitter reality of their lives that the high cost of electricity had made their parents unable to earn even two times meal for them.

Traffic remained suspended around the busy Manzoorabad Chowk during the protest. A police contingent also reached the spot. However, both the children and their patrons remained peaceful.

Speaking at the rally, Multan Powerloom Owners Association president Munir Husain Ansari, secretary-general Khalid Qandeel and PML-N MPA Babu Nafees Ansari criticized the government over what they said its apathy towards resolving the problems of the powerloom sector.

They claimed their cost of production had increased manifold due to hike in power tariff which ultimately had rendered the powerloom sector as a ‘business of accumulating losses’. They threatened the powerloom owners would launch a country-wide drive after Eidul Fitr. The protesters later dispersed peacefully.

The powerloom owners have launched a very organized protest drive against sky-rocketing power rates. They along with their families have been staging protest demonstrations once or twice a week for the last six weeks.